Anode container



Feb. 17, 1931. T. G, MEUSH 1,792,998

ANODE CONTAINER Filed July 5, 1928 .Patented Feb. 17, 1931 ariela l THOMAS G. MELISH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO NODE CONTAINER application mea July y5, 4'1s-aas. seria; No. 290,669.

In the finishing of metals by the process of electroplating, an electrolytic bath is employed for the immersion of the pieces being plated, and anodes of the plating metal are suspended in this bath under a current of high amperage to cause this anode metal to be carried into solution` and deposited on the pieces to be plated. These anodes are made of the desiredmetal to form the plated surm face coating and are cast in molds in round,

elliptical or other desired shapes. Frequently, when the plated surface coating is toA be of two or more metals blended, the casting of the anodes is accomplished by a blended fusing of the two or more anode metals together.

The blending and casting of these anode metals together in desired vshape is a more or less expensive operation in itself, and is rendered all the more so because of the Wastage occasioned by unused small ends of used anodes, which must be sold as scrap although they are of plating material which is valuable.

Objects of this invention are to permitof 25 the least expensive usage of any desired plating metal and the most flexible usage of this metal for purposes of eiciency as to plating uniformity, economy of current consumption, availability of plating material, adjustability of proportion in the metal vcontent of the coating, usability yof scrap metal of the required kind, and ease of continual renewal of anode metal without having to resort to` special, alloy castings and shapes.

These and other objects are attained in the anode container described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an anode container embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an anode container embodying a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is aperspective view of another form of anode container embodying my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further form of my invention.

The container shown in Fig. 1 is but exemplary of the invention I describe herein, and consists in the simple provision of a meshed receptacle adapted to receive bars, chunks, lumps, pieces or billets of the metal to be plated as a coating on the surface of the article. Any suitable construction may be employed for the frame 6 upon which the mesh 7 may be placed, and hooked reenforcing bars 8 and 9 are preferably employed as supports for the container, the hooks be- .nating pieces or groups of pieces of metal of different Vkinds in the container in the proper proportions required to give the results. The size, shape and position of the container may be made suitable to the work to be plated or the 'apparatus used in the plating operation. Y

In Fig. 2 I have shown -another form of a0 container which, although of open or perforate construction, is made so by constructing it of sheet metal which is provided with holes 12 so as to allow of freedom of electrolyte circulationv within, through and about the container and its contained pieces of plating metal 13. Hooks 14 and 15 are provided in this container for suspension upon the bus bar 16 as in the previously described construction.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a materially modified form of the two containers I have described, is shown. This container is of adjustable type in that it is designed to hold pieces of plating material of varying Vshapes and sizes in the 95 best possible manner to assure of its becoming intimately subjected to the plating current carried by the bus bar and suspended container. `In this adjustable container cony struction a metal back 17 is provided with 100 Y arer'educed during the plating operation, thev sides or wings 18 and 19 which extend forwardly at right angles thereto. This back has a hook 20 which permits the' container to be suspended from the bus bar and at or adjacent to the lower edge of the back a container bottom 21 is pivoted. This bottom is capable of adjustment up or down between the sides of the back as suggested especially in Fig. 4. At the forward edge o-f the bottom the front 22 of the container is pivoted. This front may be of any suitable material such as used in connection with the two constructions I have described. rIlhe top edge of the front of this adjustablecontainer is preferably provided with a handle or projectionl 23 which, together with the elongated hook 20 of the back, forms a convenient means by which a tying element such as a ring or loop`24, when placed over the hook 20 and handle 23, will draw and retain the front and back into spring-like clamping engagement with the pieces of plating material located between them. The action of such a construction is to afford very intimate electrical contact of the plating material and the container so that as the sizes of the pieces of plating material front and back of the container will automatically move closer and closer together, thus maintaining a substantially uniform degree of efficiency throughout the period of the operation. t

Fig. 5` is a modification of the rigid or nonadjustable container shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Here is to be found a structure of substantially cylindrical or other convenient shape which is made up of rings, loops, or the convolutions 25 of a spirally wound element. In order to render such a container suiciently rigid I have provided longitudinal ribs, braces or bars 26 at spaced intervals, which also maintain proper spacing of the rings or convolutions 25. One-or more of these braces may be extended to provide a hook or hooks 27 by means of which the'container may be suspended from the bus bar.

The platin material, if of bar form, would be placed and held endwise in the container, and, if of round or chunk form, would be merely loaded in the container as lumps of coal are held in a grate.

In each of the su gested forms of the invention I have merely intended to impart an idea "as to a manner in which my container may be made or used for the purposes I have set forth in the objects preceding the foregoing description. It will, of course, be obvious that although I have described suoli containers as of wire mesh, perforated sheet metal or other construction, variation from this may be made, as for example by a cor'fstruction of expanded metal or a metal framework covered with a fabric cane, or other material of nonconductlve characteristics2 but which is foof such a non-conductive material which is associated with suitably placed contacts by means of which the plating material is maintained in electrical connection with v'the electrolyte of the bath. All-metal container construction, of iron for example, is especially suitable to lalkaline bath solutions in as much as it is not affected by any destructive reaction, while textile, cane and similar container materials are more especially adapted to acid bath solutions.

Having thus described .my invention what I claim is:

1. An anode container comprising a back and sides, abottom'arranged for movement relatively to the back and sides, and a front connected with the bottom for movement relatively to the back, sides and bottom.

2. An anode container comprising a back and sides, a bottom arranged for movement relatively to the back and sides, and a front pivoted to the bottom for movement relatively thereto and toward and away from4 j the back.

3. An anode container comprising a back and sides, a bottom pivoted thereto for movement toward and away'from the back, and a front arranged for movement relatively to the back, sides and bottom and connected with the bottom.

4. An anode container comprisin a back and sides, a bottom pivoted to the ack for movement toward and away from it, and a front pivoted to the bottom for movement toward and away from the back when the bottom is moved.

5. An anode container comprising a back and sides, a bottom' arranged for movement relatively to the back and sides, a front connected with the bottom for movement relatively tothe back, sidesand bottom, and means to hold the front in fixed position relatively to the back.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature.

THOMAS Gr. MELISH.

raminous or pervious to liquids and electrolytic action. Or, such a construction may be 

